NHL Changes Minor League Waiver Rule

The Winnipeg Free Press [url=http://www.moosehockey.com/news/05-06/20060407a.php]reports that the NHL and PHPA have agreed to change the 75K waiver rule which forced many veteran players on the bubble for NHL service to move overseas.[/url] Any skater with more than 320 games of experience at the NHL, AHL and ECHL level will be exempt from the rule. Any goaltender with more than 180 appearances in those leagues will also be exempt. The rule adopted this year made any veteran recalled making more than $75,000 elligible for waivers. As a consequence, many veterans were forced to choose between lower salaries in North America or higher pay in Europe. In the case of players like Shane Willis, who went to Davos in Switzerland and Linkopings in Sweden, the choice was Europe.
The rule change could pave the way for Willis and center Eric Perrin's return to the Lightning organization.